Friday, July 13, 2012

Cards for Maddy & Melanie Card Drive!

I am writing my first post and nervous/excited to reach out to our extended Simon Says Stamp family. I am beyond thankful for our Simon community. Heidi and I met in 2002 and started selling papercrafting supplies shortly thereafter. We fell in love during our very first phone call. In 2003 we married and have been blessed with Jaxon (2007) and Abigail (2011) along the way. Yet one of our greatest family blessings was to start our journey into what has become Simon Says Stamp. We feel the love and passion that customers and designers share with us daily over our shared passion of positively impacting lives through cards, cardmaking, and papercrafting. So thank you all for joining us along the way and please stay with us.

I am asking you a personal favor for my mentor and friend, Tim Justice (seen above with family). Before joining Simon full time, I enjoyed a career as a medical device sales representative under the guidance of Tim. His most important counseling had nothing to do with our careers, but with our families - life lessons that helped me to be a better husband, father, and human.

Earlier this year, Tim’s thirteen year old daughter Maddy was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. She will be undergoing chemotherapy treatment for the next six months. And then will receive a stem cell transplant from her fifteen year old sister Melanie. If Tim needed a room painted, I would be of little help. However, I can reach out to each of you to help me help them.

(Maddy and Melanie being adorable at Maddy's The Riley Hospital for Children Prom Night)

All of us at Simon are so blessed to hear a tiny bit of this family's story, and want to join Jason in his request to you for encouraging, happy cards! Please make a personalized card of encouragement and support for Maddy and/or Melanie and mail it to:

Simon Says Stamp

Attn: Cards for M&M

44 Lazelle Rd

Columbus, OH 43235

*We will be collecting cards from today- Friday, July 13th 2012 to Friday, August 3rd 2012

(Maddy being interview by a local news channel at The Riley Hospital for Children Cancer Prom Night)

I think we all know that the best thing about homemade cards are 1) you KNOW the amount of time someone took to make everything look just perfect and beautiful, and 2) it's absolutely original and just for YOU! Being apart of the card-making community, we want to share with Maddy and Melanie the joy one can receive from a card specifically and especially for them.

Jason also adds this: Please visit Caringbridge.org and check in on Maddy’s progress. She has her own site - maddyjustice (no capitals or spaces in the name). Marizel, Maddy’s mother (seen above), journals about her experiences with contributions from Tim, Melanie, and Maddy, herself. If you can’t make a card, they offer e-cards to send, but we all know how special a hand crafted card is.

To win today's blog candy, please comment below and wish the Justice family a warm thought or encouragement! Their spirits are incredibly positive and enduring, I'd like to hope we can help them maintain that!

Thanks for reading today everyone! We hope this story touches you, and
your able to send a card for either Maddy, Melanie, the family- or all
of them!

My prayers are with the whole family. There are two very striking things for me about this post. One is Maddy's beautiful smile in all of these photos. You can tell that she has such a beautiful upbeat spirit. The second is the connection with her sister Melanie. There are so many stories of sibling rivalries and of siblings who outright don't like each other. Yet here we see two sisters sharing and connecting in such a meaningful way. I especially feel for the parents. As a mother myself I can only imagine how challenging this time is for you. But it's clear that you have two very special and precious daughters. Stay strong, and have faith.

Beautiful post. Thank you for letting all your fans know that we too can help. Wishes and prayer go out to Maddy and Melanie and your families too. Hope, Faith and Love is all sent your way to help strengthen you and heal you. Laughter is the best medicine, Enjoy each smile and each giggle. Praying for a speedy recovery.

Just want to share an experience. . . Our friends daughter had the same issue arise when she was about 18. It was truly traumatic for her family, but their faith and their family love really pulled them through the hard times. Today Jackie is completely cancer-free and has a devoted husband and two-year-old twins. She looks gorgeous and she continues to be an example to all of us with her positive attitude. We are all grateful for the examples of those around us who perservere in faith and optimism through trials that can potentially tear apart hearts and families. Thank you for sharing.

Saying prayers for Maddy and the family. Such a beautiful girl with a beautiful smile. Being cancer free for 4 yrs I know how much a positive attitude helps and I pray you keep that attitude always. Keep you're faith strong.Much love and hugs to a brave girlLinda T

My brother, father of 4 children was diagnosed with a brain tumor in December 2011. He had surgery and the tumor returned a few months later and he had a second surgery. I am so happy to report that he has now had three MRI with no tumors and hopefully is on the road to recovery for good. I know what helped with his treatment was to approach it with a positive attitude and lots of encouragement from family and friends.

What beautiful girls !! :-) Maddy and Melanie are like twins ,, soo close and so pretty :-) tomorrow I will make something ,,, not sure what but will sleep on it and will pop a box in the post in the next few days :-)no need to pop me in the candy draw xx

I'm sorry about the problems this family is dealing with. Looks like they have a positive attitude and outlook. I have a crop this weekend and will work on a card to send out. Thanks for sharing this with us!

Thank you for sharing this story. Maddy & her family are very inspiring. My prayers go out for them. This is a strong family that will see this through with the help of each other, family & friends like Simon Say Stamp. Just keep that beautiful smile, Maddy. It lights up everyone around you.

Maddy & Melanie -- I have a sister who supported me through some tough times, much like Maddy's, so I know how very special a sister can be. You both have lovely smiles and a special bond that I know will carry you through this. Take it a moment at a time and cherish each of them. You're both super special, as are your parents. I have you in my thoughts. Can you feel the good vibes being sent your way? ;-) You'll be inundated with them!

I know what a huge impact getting a card from a "stranger" makes - I'll be glad to send along something to Maddy. Be strong, girl, you can do this! Sending hugs and prayers to you, your sister, and your Mom and Dad.

I'll be happy to send something along to Maddy and Melanie. As brave as the whole family is, this must be frightening to go through. I am praying for the family, and will pass on the family to a prayer list I belong to.

These are the stories that keep me making hand-crafted cards! I know if I were in Maddy's shoes, I'd be thrilled to receive hand-made cards from people I didn't know! To feel the support and encouragement from others must be so uplifting, and I'll be glad to participate in this event! Keep smiling Maddy and Melanie - you're both blessed to have one another to rely on, and I wish you and your parents the strength, love, and support for one another that will pull you through this bump in the road!!

My Prayers go out to the family during this time of need. I pray that God will give each one of them the strength that is needed to get through each and everyday. Thanks for sharing this post with us today.

Maddy - keep your faith in love and life high! I wish you a speedy and healthy recovery during these upcoming months - and - that you have the love and support you deserve in your fight! God Bless you and your family!

What a great first blog post, Jason and what a even better and sweeter idea! I'm in! Praying for Maddy and her entire family. Just one more reason why I love all of you guys at Simon Says Stamp. :) Hugs!

How touching! I love that companies are reaching out to families going through hard times with these types of things. I will work on a card and the family will certainly be in my thoughts and prayers! Thanks for sharing their story!

I wish you all the best. I am an RN and also a mom of a chronically ill(now adult) child, but I would never say to you "I know what you are going through." Because I have no idea. Stay strong and know that God is a God of healing, and thanks to Big Sister for her love for her sister and for giving her sister a wonderful gift.

I am sooo touched by both of these girls for being sooo brave, as they really are, and for the entire family too. And it´s a pleasure to see they can still smile as that´s the best cure to anything ever. Ofcause I´ll send them a card from me too, just hope, it can be there in time, but hope, you´ll still make sure, she´ll get it, even it should be a bit late, as I know, it can take a while from here to reach you. I´ll definitely keep all of this family in my heart and prayers, that´s for sure and best of luck with the transplant of the stemcells later.Lots of love to all of you there here from Denmark.

What a great thing to do! We did something like this for my mom and she enjoyed every card! I will be keeping the family, doctors, nurses and everyone involved with Maddy's care in my prayers. And thank you Crowl's for sharing such a touching story!

Maddy and family, my thoughts and prayers go out to you and will continue to do so as you progress on this journey. It is a bump in the road of life, keep positive thoughts around you. God will always be with you.

Healing thoughts and prayers I am sending to Maddy and Melanie and their family. It is so crucial for the family to have a positive attitude and to be well informed when a member is seriously ill. We have been through the pains of a child being critically ill, and it was the support and love of not only family and friends but also strangers that got us through. God bless the Justice family.

I am sending my prayers to Maddy and Melanie along with their family. This hits home for me, since my husband (my hero) donated a kidney to me! Melanie is a true hero, because of this selfless act she is doing for her sister, and Maddy is courageous for letting her sister do this. I would be proud to have these girls as my own daughters! This is a remarkable story and I wish only the best for them both! Blessings and healing prayers.

What a wonderful drive! Our lives all seem to be touched by Cancer in so many forms and ways. I also have a dear friend currently battling breast cancer and yet another friend, who has a young daughter battling Leukemia...too many people have to go through this and my heart goes out to everyone touched by this dreadful disease.

Let's ALL pray for all those touched by this awful disease! We need to continue to promote awareness too and hope that some day there will be a CURE for all!

Bless your heart for sharing this story and my heartfelt wishes and prayers to out to everyone touched by this story and to all the families who are battling! Praying you ALL WIN!!!

Being a child who suffered a childhood disease, I know the struggles that a family goes through first hand!! I spend three years in the children's hospital and was a pen pal to other children suffering from the same disease!! I grew alot and luckily survived the odds!! I wish you and your family ALL OF THE BEST and my thoughts and prayers will be with you during this hard time!! THANKS for sharing with us and I hope you have a FABULOUS WEEK!! =)

Sending Hugs & Prayers & Get Well Wishes. I've had 2 little one's in my family the last couple of years who have faced this disease and they both are doing great now and cancer free! Know that there are tons of people who are praying for all of you. God Bless...Hugs!!! Leah Ann

Maddy, you're amazing. I can tell just from looking at you- honestly. I'm another kid who went through earlier life with health problems, and I know it's tough (understatement of the year) but just keep pushing through, one moment at a time, and know we're all praying for you and sending you love and light from all around the world.

Thanks so much for sharing this story and giving us the chance to contribute. Sending hugs to Maddy and her family as they battle her leukemia. They will get through this! I'll be sending my cards shortly...

I was touched by Jason's story too - how wonderful to have had a mentor like Tim who valued family and shared his life experiences, not just job skills.

So touching! I hope you'll manage to collect hundreds of cards for each day of the treatment ot Maddy. Unfortunatelly, I'm not from the US and as I know the post office system here in Bulgaria, my card will be probably delivered in September. However, I'll do my best to send an encouraging card to Maddy and I hope that she will get better as soon as possible!

Thank you for sharing their touching story with us. My SIL has stage four breast cancer and I know first hand how much support and encouragement means to those fighting and those that love them. Bless you for getting the word out and getting folks involved! The entire family (and their friends) will be in my thoughts.

Thank you for sharing this story -- My heartfelt prayers and warm thoughts of peace and recovery for the whole family --- Happy to participate and send thoughts of love and encouragement to Maddy and Melanie and family!

my cards went out in the mail on Monday, so hopefully they have made it to headquarters now. :) I am honored to be able to help out any way I can, as I have been on the receiving end myself of so much kindness & generosity as I battle cancer as well.

I will keep Maddy & her family in my daily prayers. may they find peace and comfort knowing that they do not travel this journey alone. we are all fighting this alongside them! :)

Thinking of Maddy and her family at this difficult time. Melanie is very brave and unselfish to donate stem cells to Maddy. Not an easy time for Mum and Dad either. Good thoughts and hugs to all of them. Hoping for a good outcome for Maddy.

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This blog is the sole responsibility of Simon Says Stamp. It's contents are managed by the team here and we enjoy sharing these great ideas with you. Please feel free to use the inspiration provided, however, we ask that you respect the work of the artists involved.